How Is the Character of Fagin Presented in

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How Is the Character of Fagin Presented in "Oliver Twist"?

Fagin is the ringleader of a small group of thieves and pickpockets, and is introduced in the novel when the Artful Dodger aids Oliver, when he escapes to the city, and introduces him to Fagin.

Fagin seems to have quite a responsible attitude towards his band, being the leader. He possesses a very charismatic manner and uses terms of endearment (e.g. "my dear") towards everyone. However, he is not a person to anger, as he is also shown to have an intense rage when he is betrayed by Nancy.

The reader's first impression come from chapter 7, where Oliver accompanies the Artful Dodger into a murky and run-down house, where the Dodger presents Oliver to Fagin. The way Dickens describes Fagin, gives the reader the impression that Fagin is evil, and possibly the focal villain of the story. The portrayal of Fagin is an almost exact replica of the devil himself. He is described as having "matted red hair", which is associated with the devil's red fur; he also was cooking sausages, but Dickens depicted him doing so with a toasting fork, subtly connoting it with the devil's pitchfork.

In chapter 16, Dickens illustrates the scene and weather, and describes the Jew as "shrivelled", which was one of the adjectives he used to label his villains in his books. Dickens uses language very effectively to clarify the shadiness of Fagin's character. When Fagin left his hideout, he "obscures" his face, as if he has something to hide, and Dickens describes his hideout as a "den", which indicated that Fagin is a predatory character.

Dickens also uses the environment and the weather to create an atmosphere in the few paragraphs, which reflected on Fagin's personality. This technique is called pathetic fallacy. When Dickens says, "The mud lay thick...a black mist hung over the streets...everything felt cold and clammy to the touch", he states that this is the perfect environment for a villain such as Fagin. The description portrays Fagin as being a shady and gritty character, which he is. The depiction of iciness and dampness can also be associated with reptiles, as that is how they would be described from a person's perspective.

To expand on this point, Dickens used an extended metaphor in this paragraph, relating Fagin's movements and mannerisms to that of a snake. This is because a snake or reptile is considered to be a slimy and slippery character. For example, he says that he "glided stealthily" and was "creeping beneath the shelter of the walls and doorways".
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In chapter 35, Dickens again uses language to portray a very evil character for Fagin. At first, he creates an atmosphere where the time of night is totally silent and muted, where even the most boisterous characters are asleep, as stated when he says, "profligacy and riot have staggered home to dream". This gives the reader a sense of eeriness. Dickens then satisfies this eerie feeling by giving a grotesque description of Fagin as he pondered with great rage within him, while simultaneously associating him with varying things of evil, for example, a "hideous phantom, moist from the ...

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